Time In A Bottle
by TRDowden1
Summary: Nathan meets a little girl who's looking for a new friend...and finds one in Nathan


**Time In A Bottle**

**. **

_This is a short one, for my Naudrey friend who thinks I can't write anything that isn't about Duke. I can too! So. There._

_Nathan meets a little girl who's looking for a new little friend to play with...and finds one in Nathan_

Nathan was walking back to the police station, stretching his long legs after another day of pushing two sets of paperwork.

Audrey had gone to Bangor, and wouldn't return till that evening. Duke was off at The Gull. As he'd said to Audrey and Nathan earlier, "Haven PD can live without me for one day-I got a business to run."

So far the day had been quiet, no Troubles had popped up, no Duke annoying him, and Nathan was enjoying the quiet walk.

He turned the corner, and was passing the park when he heard what sounded like a little child crying.

Concerned, he detoured into the park, looking for the source of the crying, and he spied a little girl, sitting alone on a park bench.

"Hi," he called. "What's the matter?"

The little girl looked frightened, and made to run away, but Nathan took his badge out.

"Hey, it's okay, you can talk to me, I'm a police officer," he told her, showing her his badge. "What's your name? My name's Detective Wuornos," he continued, sitting down alongside her on the bench.

"What's your first name?" asked the little girl.

"It's Nathan," he replied. "Short for Nathaniel."

"Mine's Amanda," the little girl said. "No, I'm not lost. But nobody wants to play with me. They said I'm weird," she gestured at a group of kids playing soccer. "But Mommy says I can't help it."

Nathan knew what she meant. Weird usually meant Troubled around Haven, and he was well-acquainted with how that had felt as a kid.

"I don't think you're weird at all," Nathan told her. "You're just different—special. I'm different too," he went on. "I know how you feel. People don't understand sometimes, that's all."

Amanda had stopped crying, and looked at him.

"Would you like me to walk you home? Do you live very far?" Nathan asked. "Or we could call your mom and dad at the police station, if you'd rather."

"I only have my mom—my daddy died," Amanda said solemnly.

"I'm sorry about that," Nathan replied sincerely. "Mine did too."

Amanda seemed to be thinking over something, and then stretched her hand out to Nathan, and he took it in his.

"Do you wanna play with me?" she asked.

"Sure," the little boy that had been a grown man only a few moments before answered, and they ran off through the park.

A few hours later, a bedraggled boy made his way into the Haven police station, and spied Dave Teagues talking with Laverne.

"Hi, Miss Laverne. Hi, Mr. Teagues," he greeted. "Is my dad in?"

Laverne and Dave turned around, and their mouths dropped open. Dave wouldn't swear to it—but this kid looked _exactly_ like Nathan had when he was his age.

"_N-Nathan_?" he said cautiously. "Nathan, is that you?"

"Yes, sir," Nathan answered. "Is my dad in his office?"

"Umm...I'll see," Laverne answered, looking at Dave, and pressed the intercom switch to Dwight's office.

"Dwight, you got a visitor out here," she said. "And hurry."

"H-how do you feel today—Nathan?" Dave asked cautiously.

"I'm okay," was his answer. "I came to see my Dad," he went on, taking his badge out of his pocket. "I found this badge in the park—somebody musta lost it."

Dwight came out of the office, and looked down at kid Nathan.

"Hi guys," he greeted. "Who's your little friend, Dave?"

Dave had long experience with how to handle various Troubles, and he knew that if Nathan had been turned back into a kid, and was asking to see Garland, then he didn't remember him being dead. "Dwight, this is Nathan Wuornos," Dave introduced the boy. "Y-you know, _Chief_ Wuornos' son. He's looking for his _dad_," he stressed.

Dwight's shock registered on his face, but he recovered quickly.

"Is Audrey back yet?" he asked Laverne.

"Not yet."

"Send her in the minute she gets here," Dwight replied. "Well, _Nathan_, your—dad-had to go to a police chief's conference up in Bangor today," Dwight told the boy. "He's going to be gone for a few days, so he asked me and Officer Parker to look after you. My name's Dwight, I'm filling in for him while he's away."

"Pleased to meet you, sir," Nathan said, extending his hand, and Dwight shook it, glancing at Dave, who shrugged.

"How old are you, Nathan?" Dwight asked.

"Eight."

"Got any friends at school?"

"A couple."

"Do you know a Duke Crocker?" Dwight questioned.

Nathan got a sour look on his face. "He's mean. He always picks on me."

"Guess some things don't change in Haven," Dwight remarked. "Why do you think he picks on you?"

"Cause I can't feel anything," Nathan said. "He says I'm weird."

"Well, he's kinda weird too," Dwight told him firmly. "So don't let him get you down. Tell you what—why don't we go in Detective Parker's office and we'll wait for her to get back."

"A lady policeman?" Nathan questioned.

"Oh, you'll like Officer Parker, she's very nice," Dave assured the boy.

"Okay," Nathan answered, and the three set off.

"The _second_ she gets here," Dwight shot at Laverne. "And call Crocker and tell him to get his butt over here too."

Audrey arrived at the police station a little later, and she saw Duke's truck pulling up just down the street.

He got out, and dashed over to meet her.

"What's the hurry?" she smiled.

"Laverne phoned me at the Gull," Duke told her. "Said Dwight told me to get over here, that something's happened to Nathan."

"Nathan?" Audrey gasped, and the two hurried inside.

"Your office, hon," Laverne called to Audrey as they passed the dispatcher's door.

"Thanks, Laverne," Audrey called, and they got to Audrey's door.

Dwight and Dave looked up as Audrey and Duke entered the office, and a little boy turned around to look at them.

"Oh...boy," Duke said, seeing little kid Nathan.

"Where's Nathan, what happened to him?" Audrey asked.

Duke pointed at the boy in front of them.

"_That_ is Nathan," Duke told her.

"Are you sure?" Audrey gasped.

"Take it from the guy who grew up with him," Duke said without moving his lips. "Hi, Nathan."

Nathan looked at him, puzzled, and then stared at Audrey as though he were trying to remember something.

"Nathan, this is Mr. Crocker, he's—Duke's uncle, his name is Duke too," Dwight said quickly to the boy. "We're gonna go out here and talk for a minute, so you just sit there and finish your ice cream, ok?"

"Yes, sir," Nathan said.

Dwight stepped out, and closed the door behind him.

"What happened to him?" Audrey said.

"He went out for a walk after lunch, and when he came back—he was like that," Dwight said. "He doesn't remember being a grown-up, it's like when he turned into a kid, he _turned_ back into a kid. He doesn't know the Chief's dead. Or remember you, Audrey."

"How did you explain—you?" Audrey asked.

"I told him I was filling in while the Chief was gone to a conference, it was the best I could do on short notice," Dwight admitted.

"I don't get it," Duke said, puzzled. "When I turned back into a teenager that time, I still had my adult memories, it's just I was back in my teenage body."

"This is probably someone else's Trouble, not Robbie's," Audrey said. "So we need to find them and get them to fix it. But in the meantime—what do we do with him? Can't send him home by himself."

"Not to mention it'd be kinda hard to explain to him that you and he are-together," Duke reminded Audrey.

"I know this," Audrey replied. "So, one of you two will have to put him up for the night."

"I'm on 24-hour duty tonight," Dwight said. "So that means you get the job, Duke."

"Me?" Duke protested. "Audrey, it's Friday night, and I already had two servers call off."

"I live right above the Gull, Duke. I'll be right there," Audrey said.

Duke got the distinct impression that this was not a topic open to discussion, and he had just become Nathan Wuornos' babysitter.

"Okay, fine," Duke sighed. "I'll put him up for the night. So while I'm—I can't believe I'm saying this—babysitting Nathan—I'll see if I can find out if he knows who did this to him."

They opened the door, and Nathan looked back at them.

"Okay, Nathan," Duke said cheerfully. "You're gonna stay with me tonight, all right?"

"Duke's not gonna be there, is he?" he asked. "He doesn't like me—and I don't like him either."

"N-no, he won't be there," Duke answered slowly, somewhat taken aback. "He's—gone off with his dad. Just us guys tonight."

"Okay," Nathan grudged. He kept on stealing glances at Audrey, as if he were trying to remember something.

Audrey knelt down to him.

"Do you know me, Nathan?" she asked tenderly.

"You kinda look like somebody my dad knows," he said.

Audrey remembered the Glendowers telling her that Lucy had worked with Garland Wuornos when the Troubles were back in 1983. This version of Nathan was right around the age he would have been back then, so Audrey asked cautiously, "Was—is her name Lucy? Lucy Ripley?"

"Yes, that's it," Nathan beamed. "You look like Miss Lucy! Is she your sister?"

"We're—related," Audrey replied. So Nathan _had_ known her then too! If he couldn't remember being an adult, perhaps he could remember Lucy now. The block on his memories of her must have been lifted because of this Trouble he was experiencing.

"I'll tell you what," Audrey told him. "Why don't I watch you first tonight, and then Mr. Crocker can. I live above his restaurant, and we can go downstairs and have dinner. And you can tell me all about Lucy," she went on. "We—haven't seen each other for a long time."

"Kay," Nathan replied. "Can Amanda come over too?"

"Who's Amanda?" Audrey asked.

"She's my new friend. I met her in the park," Nathan replied. "We had lots of fun today."

"Really? What did she look like?"

"She had pretty blonde hair and blue eyes, kinda like yours," Nathan smiled timidly, and Audrey returned his smile.

"Maybe this kid had something to do with his Trouble," Duke said. "I'm gonna check out the park, see if she's still there."

"Be careful, Duke," Audrey called after him.

The late-afternoon sun was glazing the park in a golden light as Duke went through it, scanning the couples seated on benches, the children playing in groups, the oldsters walking on the winding path.

He was just about to leave when he saw a little girl that matched Nathan's description of her.

"Hi," he called to her. "Are you Amanda?"

"Yes," she said. "Who are you?"

"My name's Duke," he told her. "I wanted to talk to you about my friend Nathan. Do you know him?"

"He's my friend," Amanda stated.

"Well, Nathan's my friend too," Duke answered slowly. "And I-"

"Amanda!" a lady's voice interrupted. "Time to go home!"

"I have to go, my Mommy's calling me," Amanda told him, and ran off in the direction of the lady.

Duke got up, taking off after her. "Amanda, wait!" he called.

"What do you want with my daughter?" the woman demanded as Duke approached them.

"Ma'am—have you ever heard of the Troubles?" Duke blurted.

"Yes, I have, and if you're one of those people implying that my daughter has one, then you're crazy," she glared at him. She turned without saying another word and hustled Amanda into a waiting car and they drove off.

Duke jotted down the license plate number, and headed back to the police station.

"What did that man want, Mommy?" Amanda asked in the car.

"Nothing, honey, nothing," her mother sighed, glancing at her. "Did anything happen today?"

"No," Amanda answered. Her mom spied the fleeting guilty expression on her face.

"Amanda-did anything _happen_ today?" her mother said. "Tell the truth."

"I made a new friend," Amanda said in a small voice.

"I take it that means your friend used to be a grownup."

"Yes."

"Oh, dear," her mother said.

"Did you find her? Anything?" Audrey asked on Duke's return.

"I think I may have found her, but her mom showed up and snatched her off," Duke sighed. "She got very defensive awfully fast, which probably means the family's Troubled. But I did get a license number," he handed her the paper.

"Well, that's a start," Dwight said.

A little later on, Audrey and Nathan were at a table in The Grey Gull, having dinner.

"So what do you like to eat, Nathan?" Audrey asked.

"I like hamburgers," he replied. "But pancakes are my favorite."

"Maybe we can have pancakes for breakfast," she smiled. "Nathan—what can you tell me about Lucy?"

"She helps my Dad," Nathan answered.

"What does she help him with?"

"I dunno. She and Dad don't talk about it much. He got in a big fight last week about her."

"Who did he fight with?"

"Mr. Crocker. Not Duke's uncle, his dad."

"Simon Crocker?" Audrey asked. Nathan nodded.

"He's mean," he said in a low voice. "He doesn't like—Troubled people. That's why he doesn't like Duke to talk to me."

_Hypocrite_, Audrey thought. _Killing Troubled people for the high he got from the blood because of his own curse._

"Did you and Duke used to be friends?" Audrey questioned gently.

Nathan rubbed his arm absentmindedly, and Audrey remembered that he'd told her he'd broken it sledding one winter. She'd also heard that it had been Duke who'd taken him to the hospital.

_Did Simon and the Chief deliberately break up their sons' friendship?_ Audrey wondered.

Duke came up to their table, and Nathan looked guilty for talking about the Crockers.

"Hi guys," he said. "What looks good for dinner tonight?"

"Two hamburgers," Audrey said.

"Medium as usual, Nate?" Duke asked, momentarily forgetting himself.

"How did you know how I like my hamburger, Mr. Crocker?" Nathan asked. "Did Duke tell you?"

"He—must have," Duke answered.

"We were just talking about your _brother_ Simon," Audrey told him, narrowing her eyes at him, and Duke comprehended.

"Simon is a handful," he replied evenly. "I saw your friend Amanda today at the park, Nathan. She asked about you. I don't suppose she told you where she lives, did she? I thought we might all go over and see her tomorrow."

"No. But since tomorrow's Saturday, she says she'll be at the park, that we can play all day, if we want," Nathan said helpfully.

"Hopefully Dwight will get somewhere with that plate number," Duke muttered, glancing at Audrey. "Well, I'm gonna go put your order in, and let you two—talk," he finished, and walked off.

Nathan watched him go, and then looked back at her.

"Is he your boyfriend?" he asked.

"N-no, we're just good friends," Audrey told him.

"Do you have a boyfriend?" he asked.

Audrey smiled, and touched his cheek.

"I do. But he's—gone off with your dad to that conference," she answered.

"What's a con-fur-ence?"

"Where different police departments get together and talk about new techniques in law enforcement," Audrey answered truthfully.

"Oh. Will he and my Dad be back soon?"

"I hope so," Audrey said.

"What's your boyfriend's name?"

"His name is Nathan too."

"Like mine," Nathan beamed.

"Just like yours," Audrey smiled.

Duke arrived back with two burgers, and the rest of the meal passed uneventfully.

After dinner, Audrey and Nathan made their way up to her apartment,

Duke had come up with an inflatable twin mattress for Nathan to sleep on, and there were a bunch of DVDs on the table.

Audrey put in a kid's movie, and Nathan settled into a corner of the couch, just as she remembered him doing at home.

As far as she could tell, Lucy's contact with him was minimal. He knew her, he knew that she helped Garland with the Troubles, but outside of that, he didn't seem to know much about her.

She made popcorn, and she and Nathan munched while they watched the movie, and when it ended, she decided she'd ask a little more about his and Duke's relationship. From what he'd said as a child, Duke had been hard on him in school, and Audrey had begun to suspect that a lot of that came from Simon.

When the movie ended, Audrey switched off the TV.

"Tell me about Duke, Nathan," she said.

"He doesn't like me," he growled. "He and some other boys stuck tacks all in my back."

"Can I tell you something, Nathan?" Audrey said. "But it's just between you and me, okay?"

"Kay," Nathan answered.

"I think Duke picks on you because he cares about you," Audrey told him. "Even though his dad doesn't want him to talk to you, he still does. I bet he always says hi to you in school, doesn't he?"

Nathan sat there with a pensive look, and then bobbed his head.

There was a knock at the door, and Duke came in.

"Hey guys," he said. "Having fun? What're we talking about?"

"Your nephew," Audrey said, and Duke's face showed his surprise.

"What about—Duke?" he asked.

"Nathan says he picks on him a lot. I told him that Duke talks to him every day, even though your brother doesn't want him to," Audrey said. "Isn't that right, _Uncle_ Duke?"

Duke narrowed his eyes at Audrey, and Nathan looked up at him.

"Is that true?" Nathan asked him.

Duke was silent a long moment.

"Yes, that's true," he got out finally, glaring at Audrey. "Audrey—can I talk to you outside a moment, please?" he asked politely, but he had fire in his eyes. "Pick out another movie, Nathan, and we'll get our guys' night underway."

"Ok," Nathan answered, picking through the movies on the coffee table, while Duke steered Audrey to the balcony door, closing it firmly behind him.

"I don't need to be shrunk, Audrey, and neither does he," Duke told her, his tone fierce.

"He told me that your father and the Chief got into a knock-down drag-out fight over Lucy," Audrey began. "I'm trying to find out what about, because if I'm right, that's probably when you two's relationship hit the rocks."

"Nathan and I don't have a relationship," Duke told her.

"Baloney," Audrey snapped. "You two have risked your lives for each other over and over again. If we can find out what happened, maybe we can start to put this puzzle together. Maybe he overheard something about what happened the day James and I disappeared."

"You think he can remember now, because he's a kid again?" Duke asked. "Audrey, I know you want answers, but remember what it was you told me when I was trying to find out my own answers."

"Some doors you kick open, you can never close again," Audrey murmured. "I remember. But this is a hatchet that needs to be buried. You two _used_ to be close. I'm betting that perhaps Simon and Garland used to be close too—just as we three are."

"I'm trying to imagine my father as part of a trio like ours, and it isn't working," Duke said. "Simon Crocker was very much a lone wolf."

"So was Duke Crocker, when I met him," Audrey answered.

Duke gave a soft snort. "I remember."

He thought a moment. "I read somewhere in that journal that Dad and Vince used to be friends—that Vince was the one to Trouble Dad in the first place. Makes me wonder if Dad might have been in the Guard at one time."

"That I don't know. And we already know we won't get a straight answer out of Vince or Dave," Audrey said drily. "So, you're up at bat with Nathan. And tomorrow, we'll see if we can't find this little girl and see what she knows about Nathan's return to childhood." She turned to leave.

"Wait—where are you going?"

"It's guys' night," Audrey grinned. "No girls allowed."

She tromped down the stairs, and Duke exhaled. Like it or not, he and Nathan were just going to have to 'bond'.

His phone beeped, and Duke saw a text from Dwight.

FAMILY'S NAME SORENSON, it said. FATHER KIA IN IRAQ LAST YEAR, MOTHER &amp; KID MOVED TO HAVEN. KID IS TROUBLED-APPROACH W/ CAUTION.

"No kidding," Duke said, reading it over. He texted Dwight back what Nathan had told them, and tucked his phone back in his pocket.

"Kay, Nate," he called out, coming back into the apartment. "What would you like to do?"

"Can we have ice cream?" Nathan asked.

"Sure," Duke said, going to the freezer, and made them two ice cream sundaes.

He sat down alongside Nathan, and they two ate in silence for awhile.

"You know, you're really nice," Nathan said to him.

"Well, thank you, Nathan," Duke replied, pleasantly surprised.

"How come you don't let Duke live with you?" Nathan asked suddenly.

"Because he lives with his Dad," Duke answered slowly.

Nathan was quiet a moment, and then spoke.

"I don't think his daddy likes him," Nathan said, in his slow Nathan-like way. "I heard my dad tell Lucy once that Duke comes home to an empty house every night, that his Mom and Dad are never there."

"They have to work," Duke replied, his face intent. "Duke's relationship with his dad is kind of—complicated." He sat quiet a moment. "Maybe Duke picks on you, because he's jealous of you," he told him. "That your dad's home every night; he takes care of you. Looks after you when you're sick," he went on. "I bet he makes you dinner every night, doesn't he?"

"Yeah," Nathan answered.

"I'm afraid D-Simon and Marie don't do that for Duke," Duke told him, surprised that the memories hurt more than he would have liked to admit. _Was that it? I was jealous of Nathan?_ He pondered.

"Yeah, but-" Nathan broke off.

"But what, Nate?"

"Duke gets to do whatever he wants!" Nathan said, and Duke detected the envy in his voice. "He doesn't have somebody bossing him around every minute."

"Maybe he should," Duke replied. "He might have turned out different," he finished softly, exhaling. "Guess the grass is always greener on the other side of the fence."

"Maybe," Nathan answered vaguely. "Or maybe he could go live with Miss Lucy," he yawned. "She likes him—she wanted to take him with her."

"_What_?" Duke gasped. This was a memory he didn't have of Lucy. "Why would you say that?"

He thought on Audrey's earlier statement. "Was that what the big fight with your dad was all about? Simon told me he fought with your dad, but he wouldn't tell me what it was about."

"I don't know," Nathan said.

"Here, I'll be Simon, and you be your dad, okay?" Duke told him. "We're going to do a re-enactment, just like the co—police do on TV."

"Cool!" Nathan said, getting up.

"Okay," Duke replied. "I'm Simon, and I've come to your house," he began. "Is that right?"

"Uh-huh," Nathan said. "I think he was drinking."

"I think you're right," Duke answered. "Now what did he say?"

"Dad says, 'Simon, there's got to be another answer to solving this," Nathan said, lowering his voice. "And Mr. Crocker says, 'Ed says she's the one responsible. She leaves the picture and it all stops."

"Would Ed be Reverend Driscoll, you think?" Duke questioned.

"I dunno. Maybe," Nathan replied. "Dad says, 'I don't know why you started believing in that crackpot', and Mr. Crocker says he's-"

"Doing good for Haven," Duke finished.

"How did you know that?"

"I guessed," Duke answered hastily. "So then what happened?"

"They started hitting each other, and Miss Lucy came out and started yelling, 'stop it, stop it' at them, that they were s'posed to be friends," Nathan told him. "And Mr. Crocker said he was done trying to be friends with Dad and Lucy and told Lucy to stay away from Duke if she knew what was good for her, and he left." Nathan was quiet a minute. "I think he thinks she makes people sick,'cause Duke got really sick."

Duke had a flashback of what Nathan was referring to. He'd gotten sick because he'd developed bronchitis, not because of a Trouble. But in Simon's mind, he'd probably put two and two together and come out with Lucy.

_Dad found out she caused the Troubles when she was Mara_, Duke thought. _Killing her would be his solution. Probably why he wrote me that note in the journal._

_ "_Lucy didn't make me sick, I had bronchitis," Duke protested, and then realized his error. "I-I mean _Duke_ got sick because he had bronchitis."

Nathan was looking at him intently, as though he were putting something together in his mind.

"What's the matter?" Duke questioned.

"You're not Duke's uncle," Nathan said softly, his eyes wide. "Duke doesn't _have_ any uncles. _You're_ really Duke!"

"No, I—yeah," Duke confessed. "I'm really your friend Duke, Nathan. We grew up together."

"Then why are you a grownup and I'm not?" he questioned.

"You really are a grownup, like me. But you got affected by a Trouble. We think you might be a kid again because of your little friend Amanda, that she's got a Trouble that can make adults into kids again," Duke answered.

"Do you think she can make me big again?"

"I hope so—Audrey—Detective Parker does too," Duke answered. "How 'bout we give her a call and ask her to come back over?"

"Okay," Nathan said. "You didn't have to lie to me—Duke," Nathan scolded. "I'm not that little of a kid."

"It's just hard to understand Troubles sometimes," Duke told him. "And I wasn't trying to lie to you—remember, it was _Dwight_ that told you I was Duke's uncle," he finished, feeling only a _little_ guilty about tossing Sasquatch under the bus.

Just as he took his phone out, it rang.

"Hey, it's Audrey," he told Nathan. "Hi Audrey. Checking up on us?"

"Are you at your place?" she said in a rush.

"Yeah—it's Guys' Night, remember?" he grinned.

"Well, Guys' Night is gonna have to wait," Audrey began. "I'm here with Dwight, and Cynthia Sorenson, she's Amanda's mother."

"Duke," Dwight broke in. "Get Nate and bring him down to Haven PD on the double. We can't wait to fix him till morning, it might be too late then."

"What do you mean too late?" Duke questioned. "And why the sudden rush?" Duke asked.

"I talked to Cynthia earlier," Dwight answered. She said this has happened before with Amanda, her changing adults back into children. And if it's not corrected within a few hours after it happens—Nathan will _stay_ a kid."

"Duke, we _have_ to fix him tonight," Audrey said. "It's been hours since he was changed already."

"I just hope we're not too late as it is," Duke replied. "If he's been this way since after lunch, and it's nine o' clock now-" he got out in a rush. "Then yeah, time is of the essence."

He hung up. "Hey, Nathan," he said. "We're going out."

"Where're we going?" he yawned. He looked so sleepy, Duke almost hated to drag him out again, but he had to, if he wanted his adult friend Nathan back. And he was fairly certain that Audrey wanted grown-up Nate back too.

"Hey, Nate, I know you're tired," Duke told him. He picked him up off the couch, blankets and all. "But we're going to go see your friend Amanda tonight, see if she can't make you a grownup again."

"Can't we go tomorrow?" Nate yawned. "We'll see her at the park, she promised."

"No, I don't think we can wait till tomorrow," Duke said, descending the back stairs with him at a quick clip, and loaded him into the Range Rover.

He drove at a quick clip, still trying to be safe, and they soon arrived back at Haven PD.

"Hey, Nathan—we're here," Duke nudged him awake again. "You have to stay awake a little longer, okay?"

"I'm too tired, Duke," Nathan grumbled, burrowing into the passenger seat.

Duke wondered if this Trouble was making Nathan so tired. He kept thinking that this Trouble reminded him of something he'd once read in his grandfather's journal, but he couldn't remember it exactly what it had said.

"Just don't fall asleep, Nate," Duke told him, jostling him awake as he carried him into the police station.

He made his way to Dwight's office, where he found Audrey, Dwight, and the lady and little girl he'd encountered in the park earlier in the afternoon.

"Hey, Nathan, look," Duke said brightly, kneeling down. "It's your friend, Amanda."

Nathan roused, blinking sleepily at her.

"Hi, Amanda," he yawned.

"Did he fall asleep?" Cynthia asked anxiously.

"No, I've been trying to keep him awake."

"Why, is that important?" Audrey put in.

"That's when it becomes permanent," Cynthia said. "We thought this Trouble had ended years ago in our family."

"They got re-released. It's a long story," Duke said lamely. "Just get her to fix him back."

"Amanda," Cynthia said. "Nathan's a grown-up. He has to be a grown-up."

"But he's my friend. He's the only one I have," Amanda pleaded, her eyes bright with tears.

"That isn't true, Amanda," Audrey replied gently. "We all want to be you and your mom's friends. And we'll help you meet some kids who are like you, who are—special."

"I know some kids who are a lot like you," Dwight told her. "But we need Nathan back as a grown-up."

Amanda nodded, and took Nathan's hand in hers again.

"We'll always be friends, right?" she asked him.

"Sure," Nathan answered. "Always and always."

There was a bright flash, and suddenly, grown-up Nathan was there kneeling alongside Amanda, blinking.

"What happened?" he asked. "The last thing I knew I was in the park with-" he broke off, seeing Amanda. "With her. Hi," he smiled. "Are you okay?"

"Yes," Amanda smiled.

"How do_ you_ feel, Nathan?" Audrey questioned.

"Okay, I guess—just feel a little confused," Nathan puzzled. "I can't seem to remember what happened today."

"That means you're getting old, Nate," Duke cracked.

Audrey punched him in the arm, and Amanda giggled.

"Ow," Duke said, and stalked off towards Cynthia and Amanda, seated on the couch, where Dwight was talking with them.

Nathan pecked Audrey's forehead, his hand on her cheek.

"So how was it being a kid again?" she asked.

"I like being a grown-up better," he answered.

"Why?"

"Because it means I get to do this," he replied, and this time, he kissed her like he meant it.

"Nathan—what do you remember of Lucy?" she asked him suddenly.

"Lucy?" Nathan questioned, his face curious. "Why ask me about her? I didn't know her."

Audrey felt a little sad. Any answers Nathan might have had as to the nature of Lucy and Garland's relationship was gone with his return to adulthood, and she could only speculate. But she would rather have grown-up Nathan than kid Nathan any time, and she kissed him again.

"It's not important," she replied, glancing at Duke and Dwight, who were still talking with Cynthia and Amanda. "The past is just that—in the past."

Nathan held her close.

From somewhere down the hall, they could hear the faint melody of a song playing on a radio in the distance, and Nathan sang softly along in her ear with the tune:

"_If I could save time in a bottle_

_If words could make wishes come true_

_ I'd save every day like a treasure_

_and then, I would spend it with you."_

"I always liked that old tune," Nathan said.

"I like it too," Audrey smiled. "I like it too."


End file.
